OXFORD, Mich. – While trying to prove to the jury that James Crumbley is guilty of involuntary manslaughter, prosecutors focused much of their case on where the Oxford shooter’s father went on the day of the shooting.
A jury was deliberating Thursday whether to convict the father of the Oxford High School shooter of four counts of involuntary manslaughter. His trial wrapped up with closing arguments on Wednesday, March 13 -- more than two years after being charged in connection with the four students murdered by his son on Nov. 30, 2021.
---> Jury deliberations underway at James Crumbley trial: What they’re considering
Throughout his trial, prosecutors focused on how James Crumbley stored the family’s three handguns, one of which was accessed by the shooter and used in the shooting. The prosecution also argued that the father failed to take action to help his son, despite being presented with evidence that his son’s mental health was declining and that he was going through a hard time.
Part of their case focused on where James Crumbley did and didn’t go on the Tuesday the shooting took place. Prosecutors argued that James Crumbley was presented with enough concerning information that day that should’ve motivated him to stop home and check on the family’s firearms -- one of which was used in the shooting.
Oakland County prosecutors specifically zeroed in on what James Crumbley was doing after leaving a meeting with his son and a counselor at the high school, and before the shooting occurred.
Below is a timeline of James Crumbley’s whereabouts before and after the shooting on Nov. 30, 2021, according to evidence discussed throughout his trial. We’re also breaking down the significance of that timeline for prosecutors.
Timeline of James Crumbley’s whereabouts on Nov. 30, 2021
- 7:46 a.m. - James drops shooter off at Oxford High School.
- 8:04 a.m. - James was at his home in Oxford Township.
- By 9:04 a.m. - James was at a horse barn in Metamora, where the two horses owned by him and his wife resided.
- 9:38 a.m. - James leaves horse barn after being told by wife that there was a meeting with their son and a school counselor. His wife also sent photos of the now-infamous math worksheet on which the shooter drew violent images and phrases.
- 10:37 a.m. - James arrives at Oxford High School for the meeting.
- Shortly after 10:37 a.m. - The meeting takes place inside the school with James, his wife, the shooter, a school counselor and an administrator. The meeting lasted fewer than 15 minutes.
- 11 a.m. - James logs onto DoorDash. He worked as a DoorDash delivery driver at this time. He picked up his first delivery of the day at 11 a.m. in the Oxford area.
- 11:19 a.m. - James drops off his first delivery. He secured a second delivery job right after, still in the Oxford area.
- 11:46 a.m. - James drops off his second delivery.
- 11:58 a.m. - James secures a third delivery job and drives to the pickup and drop-off locations in the Oxford area.
- 12:33 p.m. - James drops off his third delivery. He secured a fourth delivery right after.
- 12:51 p.m. - The Oxford shooter begins firing into the hallways at the high school. Four students were killed, and seven people were injured.
- 1:01 p.m. - James drops off his fourth delivery in the Oxford area.
- 1:09 p.m. - James gets email from school district about an emergency situation at Oxford High School.
- 1:11 p.m. - James arrives at Meijer store near high school, where a reunification center was established for students and their family members.
- 1:13 p.m. - James calls his son, the shooter. There is no answer.
- 1:16 p.m. - James and his wife are on the phone.
- 1:17 p.m. - James calls his son, the shooter.
- 1:18 p.m. - James leaves Meijer and heads home.
- 1:18 p.m. - James calls his son, the shooter, twice at this time -- just seconds apart, officials said. Neither call was answered.
- 1:20 p.m. - James Crumbley arrives home. He was on the phone with his wife while at home for about 10 minutes.
- 1:34 p.m. - James calls 911, saying he is freaking out and that one of the family’s handguns were missing, and he didn’t know if his son took it.
- Shortly after 1:34 p.m. - James received a call from police asking him to go to a substation. His son was already in custody there. James and his wife were interviewed by law enforcement, and allowed a chance to see their son.
Father didn’t stop home
Prosecutors pointed out that James Crumbley drove past his home several times while completing DoorDash deliveries, but never once stopped at the house.
“He actually drove by his house at least four times from the point he saw the assignment to the point he started DoorDashing?” Assistant Prosecutor Mark Keast asked Friday, March 8. Witness Edward Wagrowski, a computer crimes expert, said that was correct.
Keast reiterated that Crumbley “never stopped home” during that time, to which Wagrowski agreed.
Crumbley’s defense attorney argued that the father had no reason to think it was necessary to stop home that late morning and early afternoon.
“Why would he go home? There was no reason to,” Lehman said. She argued James Crumbley didn’t know what was happening with his son, or that his son had obtained the gun.
Why do his whereabouts matter?
Prosecutors are hoping to prove to the jury that James Crumbley had reason to stop home after the meeting with the school counselor, but chose not to. It’s part of their argument that the father failed to act on information he had about his son to prevent the mass shooting.
Prosecutors have long alleged Crumbley was aware of his son’s deteriorating mental health, but didn’t get him any help. The father had also purchased a 9mm handgun a few days before the shooting, and had taken his son to the shooting range to use other firearms in the months prior.
Parents of Oxford High School students were alerted to an emergency situation at around 1:09 p.m. on Nov. 30, 2021, after the shooting had already occurred. James Crumbley drove to the family reunification area at a nearby Meijer store, stayed there for seven minutes, and then drove home, according to testimony.
While at home, James Crumbley called 911 and told dispatchers that he heard there was a shooting, he noticed the 9mm handgun was missing from his house, and he didn’t know if his son took the gun or not. James Crumbley said he was freaking out. Prosecutors argue the father suspected his son was the school shooter, even before the shooter’s name was released to the public.
In his opening statement, Assistant Prosecutor Keast said the school shooting was “preventable and foreseeable” by James Crumbley.
“You will learn throughout this trial that [James Crumbley] was the adult, out of anyone in the world, in the best position to prevent these kids’ deaths,” Keast said. “James Crumbley was afforded what might have been the easiest, the most glaring opportunity to prevent the shooting -- a full three-and-a-half hours on Nov. 30, before the first shot was ever fired.”
Shooter’s violent worksheet drawings
A few hours before the shooting, Crumbley and his wife were called to Oxford High School to meet with their son and a school counselor. During that meeting, the group discussed a math assignment on which the shooter drew violent images and statements.
The worksheet included drawings of guns, shooting people, and quotes like, “the thoughts won’t stop.” The prosecution previously indicated the gun drawn on the worksheet exactly depicted the 9 mm handgun purchased by the shooter’s father a few days prior. Prosecutors claim the gun was purchased directly for the shooter as an early Christmas gift.
The school counselor previously testified that at the meeting, he asked the parents to get the shooter mental health help that day, if possible. The parents said they had to return to work, and did not take their son out of school.
Prosecutors argue that the parents never mentioned the recently-bought gun to school staff, missing a serious opportunity to prevent the shooting. The gun was in the shooter’s backpack during the meeting. The shooter went on to kill four students and injure seven other people a few hours later.
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